Folding support



Jan. 18, 1949. MjLANG ET AL 2,459,280

FOLDING SUPPORT Filed Nov. 6, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS M0225 AAA/65 M4277 '5P/EGEL Jan. 18, 1949.

LANGE ET AL FOLDING SUFPORT s Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. e, 1946 IN VEN T 0R5 Maze/5 AAA/GE M42 r/A/ 5P/EGEL Jan. 18, 1949. M. LANGE ET AL 2,459,280

FOLDING SUPPORT Filed Nov. 6, 1946 v 3 Shgets-Sheet 3 [NI/W025 H 8 Mom/s AAA/ 5 By M/wr/A/ 5/ /5662 Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING SUPPORT Application November 6, 194.6, Serial No. 708,100

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to supports and particularly to supports for a collapsible portable screen.

Conducive to a better understanding of this invention it may be well to point out that collapsible screens used as portable backgrounds or settings in funeral parlors, or similar places, for caskets and the like usually employ two spaced supports from which the draped background or canopy is suspended. The supports are foldable and usually held in their extended condition by means of a hook, latch, sliding collar or similar manually operated locking means. If these locks should be accidently jarred loose or be otherwise unintentionally disengaged the support will instantly collapse, carrying the draped fabric with it and possibly striking nearby persons. Furthermore even when the supports are being intentionally folded care must be taken to see that the unlocked upper sections do not fall out of control or catch the operators fingers between the closing hinges.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a portable folding support that will automatically maintain itself in its extended condition without the need of any locking means.

Another object is to provide a folding support that normally maintains itself in its extended condition, so that any errors in the operators folding technique will not cause it to collapse.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims, together with the accompanying drawings in which the same parts are designated by the same reference characters and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the folding support constituting this invention with parts of the support and carrying case broken away to show their construction and assembly, and showing certain parts in an alternate semi-folded position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the base joint with parts broken away to show the construction and assembly of the joint and its relation to the spring cable when the support is in its upright position and also in an alternate semi-folded position;

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of the Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of the support shoe and arm showing the arm in its upright condition;

Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 4 but showing the arm in a semi-folded condition;

fastened by suitable bolts or screws.

but showing the device in its semi-folded con- V dition;

Figure is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the compound spring taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows Hi -l0 of the Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a view similar to that of Figure 8 but showing the folding support in its erect condition.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a folding support made in accordance with this invention. The device consists broadly of three elements or members, the base, the support in- .cluding the folding arm and the operating spring.

Each of these members will be described in detail and in the order set forth.

In Figure 1 reference character ll indicates a carrying case to which the base is securely Only the left end of the carrying case is shown for purposes of illustration since the carrying case forms no part of this invention and is merely shown to indicate one application of the invention. It is to be understood that the supports are usually used in pairs with the background suspended between them.

The base consists of a length of U shaped channel iron bent at right angles to form the bottom section 2| and the end section as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. Both sections have paired ears which serve as means for fastening the base securely to the carrying case: Figure 3 shows the pair of ears 25 having the bolt holes 2'! which are located on the end section. The bottom section also has a similarly positioned pair of ears.

The support or leg and the arm are made from light gage steel tubing and are hingedly connected together at the joint or shoe 33. This shoe 33 can, when'the device is opened, retain the support 30 and the arm 40 in rigid vertical alignment.

The shoe is formed by splitting the end of the leg and shaping it as indicated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. The shoe has an inside diameter sufficient to receive the arm 40 and is open on its outer side so as to permit free pivotal movement of the arm 40. The arm has a hinge member 4| attached thereto which hinge member engages the shoe 33 by means of the pintle 43.

Reference characterNJIZ indicates a cable. .ter-

minal located on theinner wall-r:ofwthertubular n: arm 60, opposite the'location of the hinge 4|. This is formed by making two parallel vertical slits in the tube wall and then pressing the stock between them inward thus forming a looprthrum. which the spring cable 5| can .be drawn and securely fastened as indicated in: Figures 5, 65

and 7.

The lower end of the leg is joined to the; base by the pintle 34 which engages the hinge member 3| as indicated in Figures"2 and-3. AE guide pin 32 is positioned within the tube 30-:-

opposite the hinge member 3I as indicated in Figure. 2.

A coilspring 5 0 is suspended within the hollow leg 36" by means of thecableil "which is 1.

firmly; attached .to the .cable terminals'42ifA second cable 52 is attached to the other ,endof thespring --..and1then :passed behind .bothgther, leg guidejpinflr'and the base. guide'pin .22'1as shown in .Figures 1 and:2 and anchoredon the" base .cableterminal 23 which is formedin the same manner as the cable terminal. designated by reference character 42.'iiTh'".cable.is drawn. up tightibefor'e'. fastening. so that the' spring. .50

is normally'under sufficient tension to holdjthew,

supportand arm in a vertical position,. .perpen-..i dicular' to the base, as shown'in Figure 1.

When. the" leg '30'iis in:the-verticalposition sides of the .U shaped endrsection.25;as indicated.

as shown inFigure'l it fits'snuglybetween the in Figure 3, which act as stabilizers to prevent" side movem'entof the'supportf'Wh'enthe' sup,

port is folded the leg and arm assume positions parallel .to the bottom section 2| .of the base 20FAs'the leg" is folded downward theleg' cable guide pin 32"moves awayifrom .the' base cable guidepin 22fina circular path,"having..the.hinge 3| as'its icenter.

.45 Referencecharacters 30a,"32a' and 52d indicate the various positionsof thedegygcable guideLpin. I andt'spring .cable respectively, as*they appear. I whenthelegis approximately half waycfolded. 1

The moving guide pin 32 "carries the cable '52:

with-it, which "in turn "causes the. spring. to

stretchdownward and'storetup energygthat is used to return the leg to its vertical position as soon as the 'leg'is free-of restraint.

Similarly "the folding: action. of. the"v arm '60 creates tension on'the'cable 5! which causes the spring 58 to stretch upward as indicate'd'in Fig-I,

ure'5. Since the spring. 50. is under thelea'st tension--when;. the -support is straight I and up-., right ;the"support.:will normally. return totha't position automatically if unrestrained.

It will-now 'be clear'that 'there'- is provided by this invention a folding supporflth'at requires no'specia-l locking'means' to hold theudevice in its upright "position; Furthermore the arm' and leg portions-:wil-l automaticallyreturn to their upright positions 'if theyshould'be' accidentally flexed or thrown" out- 'of "alignment; thus "elimi nating any possibility of the u-nexpected collapse.

of thesupport.

Referringto Figuress, 9, 10*and"11"there is."

shown a modified form of the device which-ems I ploys a compoundspringjhaving two co-acting coils I50 and I60,'-asits tension element; instead of "the simple cyl-indrical'" spring 50 used: in the shoe with a sharpjolt.

preferred form illustrated in Figures 1 to? inclusive.

The modified form is intended for use wit extra heavy background drapes or canopies.

These would require a stronger spring than is usuallyusedin the preferred form, in order to originate =thesunfolding cyclesdt 1 A single coil spring of s ufiicient strength to accomplish this would exert too much force at I The. .modified form consists of a support I 30 and an armx Mi) "hingedly. connected together at the shoe: I 33; The" lower" end: .of the support is f hingedly'joined to the'base I28 which is in turn:

mounted in the carryinglcase I I I.

The compound springconsists of anouter coilf' I50? whichus mounted: in the hollowysupport- I I3'Il"by"rneans of the cablesrI5I and I52 which engage the'upper hook 153 and' the lower hook- I5 3 respectively of the. coil I51 The upper cable I5I "is attached to the'a'rm I ia inthe same rnan'- nerfias Lin the'preferred'f'orm'. "The'lower cable I52"'is likewise'engag'ed withthe'leg'guidepin"- I32,"the-' base "guide "pin 'I22,% and the base cable terminal I23 "as in the preferred-form.

The inner coil I69" is mounted within the outer coil I50 as is clearly shown'in'enlargedformin Figure'lil.

Reference" characters its and iMf'indicate upper-and 'lower .terminal' hooks respectively of the coil 1601* The inner -coil ltd is attached to the outer coil I50 by means of the' upperjcable' I6I'*"andthe lower cabledfl' which-aresecured' to theouter-springhooks l53 and I5 l'respectively I as indicated in Figure 10'.

Figure 8 shows the device initslfolded condition with-both coilsunder tension; The combined strength of coils'I5IF'and' IBIVin'this "position is sufiic'ientto quickly start the un'foldingicyclefwhen desired. 1 It will be'noted that both coils pulling on'the main cables I5I and I52.

Figure 9 shows the unfoldingzcycle at app'roXi mately the half waypoint. From this point on the ends 'o'fthe support I30 andithe. arm I40 will oifei 'less'and less leverage to the force of gravity, 1

therefore a smaller spring force .will be'able to complete the cycle.

It will'be noted that the outer coil I50 has contracted, thereby permitting its hooks I53 and I5 3 t to come close'enough' together to let the inner coil' I60 contract until it is no ..longer under tension.

Theouter coil I150, however, is still under suf-..v

ficienttension'. to complete the unfolding cycle and "takes" over .the'itaskby itself. The 'cycle is completed gradually and'smoothly without any I.

sudden jolt or jar, since the strength of the coil.

I50 is justv sufficient to complete the .cycle and holdithe'supportdn the erect position shown Figure 11.

The inner. coil IBI) is nowv suspended fromqthe hook I 53"with "its lower cable I 62 hanging slack. Th'e'lengths'of the cables' Isl and I62 arecalculated. to bring the coil .l -fiiliin and out fofaction' at approximately the half way 'po'sitionrshown in Figure-'9. T

While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come Within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A folding support comprising in combination, a base, a hollow support having one end hingedly mounted on the base, capable of being folded there-against, and including a transverse guide pin mounted therein opposite the hinge, and an axially extending open shoe formed on the other end thereof, a hollow arm hingedly mounted on the end of the support within the open shoe and limited to 180 flexing movement with reference to the said support by the said shoe, and a coil spring positionedwithin the hollow support, having one end attached to the arm opposite the hinge and the other end attached to the base after passing over the de pin and capable of causing the support and arm to assume a co-axial position perpendicular to the base when released from their folded condition.

2. A folding support comprising in combination, a base having bottom and end sections of substantially U shaped cross section, joined at right angles to each other, a hollow support having one end hingedly mounted on the said base at the junction of the bottom and end sections,

capable of being folded there-against, and in cluding a transverse guide pin mounted therein opposite the hinge and an axially extending open shoe formed on the other end thereof, a hollow arm hingedly mounted on the end of the support within the open shoe and limited to flexing movement with reference to the said support by the said shoe, and a coil spring positioned Within the hollow support, having one end attached to the arm opposite the hinge and the other end attached to the base after passing over the guide pin and capable of causing the said support and arm to assume a co-axial position perpendicular to the base when released from their folded condition.

MORRIS LANGE.

MARTIN SPIEGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

